Chapter Text
The fall hurt, and Judy was sure that Nick had quite a few bruises, because she had several, and he had taken the brunt of the fall.
When they looked up they saw Bellwether swapping out the blueberry for a Nighthowler pellet. Judy refused to show that she had seen that action because that was the only way that she would be able to protect Nick. She owed him so much, and protecting him was the least she could do to make amends for the hurt she had caused him.
But she knew that she had to get the evidence of Bellwether’s treachery before she could shoot the gun, because if this didn’t work, if she died, she wanted Nick to be in the clear, and wanted there to be evidence so that Bellwether could be arrested.
Quickly, the bunny reorganized her speech. “So your plan was to turn prey against predator all along,” Judy accused, clicking the record button on the carrot pen.
“Pretty much,” Bellwether said with a grin. “I really did like you Judy, and if it wasn’t for your goody two-shoes attitude, you would have been far better off.”
“So prey fears predator, and you stay in power? It’ll never work.”
“Fear always works,” Bellwether sneered.
Judy swallowed. “You’re going to kill me aren’t you?”
Bellwether shrugged. “You’re half right, you are going to die, but that fox is going to be the one to do it. With that the gun was aimed at Nick.
Time seemed to slow, the pellet was fired, but instead of hitting red fur, the toxin splattered on gray as Judy tackled Nick to the ground, she put the carrot pen in his pocket with her last moments of clarity, and then she knew what it was to be savage.
“No!” Bellwether cried out angrily. Quickly she put the gun away, she needed to escape now, she had no idea exactly what the toxin would do to a small prey mammal, but she needed give it enough time to work on the bunny. Whoever found them would assume the fox was the culprit, and nobody would believe otherwise because he was a fox. In the best case scenario the fox would kill the bunny, and nobody would be aware that there was any foul play.
Nick paid attention to none of this, all he could see was black eclipsing the violet eyes of his friend. “Judy please, no. Why? You dumb bunny, why?… Judy,” he said stumbling over his words as the bunny backed away from him.
Predator.
Fear.
Fight.
The fox moved towards her, and she tensed. Her leg hurt, there was nowhere to run. She had to fight. She wanted to live.
Her nose twitched.
Wait.
That scent.
It was familiar?
Her scent on him, and his on her.
She cocked her head. Instinct said run or fight.
Her blood screamed fight, told her to bite, and claw.
She moved slowly towards him. He was a fox, fox was dangerous.
She bit him, tasting his blood.
He cried out in pain.
He bent down on all fours, lowered himself, made noise with his mouth.
He reached out a paw, the one connected to the arm she hadn't bitten, she flinched, but did not move. Something in her commanded she allow this.
The rough pads of his paw, stroked the fur on her face, the green eyes didn’t waver.
She moved closer, pushing him over, and he fell to his side willingly.
Not a threat.
Not danger.
Safe.
Home.
She climbed atop him, licking the wound she had given.
He held her, seemingly uncaring about the wound.
She batted at his tail with her paw. It wrapped itself around her, and she closed her eyes.
Then the room was filled with noise. There were mammals everywhere, too many, too dangerous. Too dangerous to her, and her fox.
A giant comes near them. She bares her teeth, he is too close. She pulls herself away from her fox, crouched on all fours, keeping her leg steady.
Giant comes closer, and she attacks. The wall of the hole they are in is near, she uses it to her advantage. She runs to it, as best she can, pushes off of the wall with her good leg, and maneuvers her body so that she hits the giant’s face with her good leg.
The giant drops with a crash, and a groan of pain.
Others rush at her. Her breathing becomes labored.
She will fight.
The giant stands, and motions for the others to stay back.
Warmth surrounds her, and a tail waves lazily in front of her eyes. She grabs it, and rubs her face against the soft fur.
This is safe.
A cage is placed on the ground, and her fox climbs in.
She follows.
Anywhere he is, she is safe.
He curls around her hiding her from view, and she allows herself to rest.